The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-08-04

Shreveport Times.

Shreveport Times-Dear Str: Some
time since my attention was directed
to communication in the DeSoto
Democrat, propounding certain ques-
tons to be answered by any friend
Of Gov. Nichols. As a friend Of
Gov. Nichols, I answer the questions
categorically, as follows:
l. cit is said that Gen. Nichols
advised while Governor Democratic
legislature or several members thereof
to elect a Republican to the United
States Senate.
No! Gov. Nichols did not so ad-
wise!
2. "Did not Gov. Nichols approve
q bill paying the salaries of the infa
nous Metropolitan negro police who
murdered the citizens of New Orleans
on the 14th Of September, 1874, and
who fought to uphold the carpet-bag-
ger Kellogg in his fraudulent preten.
sions to the Governorship of this
State ?"
Gov. Nichols did approve Act No.
SO of the extra session of 1877, which
appropriated $50. 600 to pay the deficit
for mileage and per diem of members
of the General Assembly for the reg
ular and extra session of 1877. That
act contained q proviso that $23, 600
of the amount should be used as q
contingent fund for the Governor to
be drawn upon his order to pay any
expense and charges Incurred in any
way in consequence of the conflict,
and termination thereof, recently ex-
listing in this city. Under this clause
of the act a sum of money, it is be-
ieved nearly equaling the appropria-
ton, was used to pay and discharge
pay roll for certain members of the
Metropolitan police and employees who
were in possession and occupying the
State house. The payment Of these
employees was one of the results OF
the great political struggle in which
the people of the State were then in
volved. The payment of these per-
sons was arranged for by committee
Of the joint DemOcrtic caucus. The
action of that COMMITTEE was approx
ed by the joint Democratic caucus,
and the bill under which the payment
was drawn was introduced under in
structions of the joint Democratic
caucus, and the bill itself was approx
ed by the caucus before it was passed.
In it's passage in the House (see jour-
nal extra session of 1877, p. 1917 it
will be seen that the bill was passed
under suspension of the rules and
was voted for by alarge majority ofthe
Democratic members of the General
Assembly. By reference to the jour
nal Of the Senate it will be seen that
the passage of the bill in that body
was moved by DR.. Robertson, now a
warm supporter of Gov. McEnery,
and was voted for by large majority
of Democratic members, among them
Judge Goode, of Terrebonne; Judge
A. B. George, now on the Appellate
bench; Mr.. Garland, of Opelousas;
MIR. Texada, of Rapides; Major San
dnord, of Red River; Mr.. Zacharie,
of Orleans; and others {see Senate
Journal p. 1867. Several other prom
inent Democratic Senators, who voted
in the negative, as well as others
who were absent, said they would
have voted for it had their votes been
necessary to its passage.
1t is an undeniable fact that Gov.
Witt was member of the caucus
committee by which the payment Of
this sum of money was agreed on
But in the opinion of the writer he
deserves no censure therefor; on the
contrary, the payment was an act of
wise administration brought about
by the then critical condition of the
affairs of the State. It was necessi-
tated by political exigences, and the
people of this State, by the result of
this payment, were spared untold
sacrifices and anguish. The st. Louis
hotel was occupied by the opposing
force, and the President of the Unit
ed States had consented to withdraw
the troops only upon the pledge that
violence would not be used to dis
perse the people collected in the st.
Louis hotel. Their continuance there
furnished a menace and would have
prolonged the struggle in which the
people of the State had already suf-
fered enough. Under these circum-
stances the caucus determined, after
finding that by the disbursement Of
this sum of money that the st. Louis
hotel could be controlled and the
struggle terminated, to expend it.
8. "H he approved the bill to
pay the Kellogg negro police, did he
favor q bill to pay the volunteer citi-
Gems who guarded and defended the
Democratic State government in the
dark and bloody revolution which
finally resulted in the freedom of
Louisiana from the tolls Of the bloody
despots who robbed, murdered, and
plundered our poople."